Matariki – Welcoming the Māori New Year

This year, we welcomed the Māori New Year, Matariki, with a range of activities. Tamariki participated in Māori art experiences and showed great enthusiasm in learning waiata and the national anthem, which they performed beautifully on the day.

Together, we learned about the seven kites of Matariki and the nine stars of the Matariki constellation. The event was a great success, with many of our whānau joining in the celebration.

A highlight of the day was the amazing performance by the children—everyone wanted an encore!

We are especially grateful to one of our wonderful parents who showed dedication by creating a vegetable garden in our preschool outdoor area. On this special day, parents joined in by planting herbs and strawberry plants—another memorable part of our celebration.

To top it all off, we shared a delicious lunch prepared by Bob, our master chef at BestStart Meadowbank.

Lunar New Year – A Celebration of Heritage

Our tamariki love exploring cultural festivities through art and hands-on experiences.

During Lunar New Year, they showed curiosity and enthusiasm while making paper lanterns, fans, snakes, and decorating a dragon head.

They learned about the history and traditions of this festival, including the zodiac animal race, making dumplings, and performing a lion dance—some of the highlights of the celebration.

We celebrated with respect and joy, gaining a deeper understanding of this rich cultural heritage.

Diwali – Festival of Lights and Colours

Our Diwali celebration was colourful and vibrant, truly lighting up our centre. Many tamariki and kaiako wore traditional costumes, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Leading up to the day, the children made clay diyas and paper lanterns to decorate the classroom. They also created beautiful rangoli (coloured sand art) with guidance.

On the day, tamariki and whānau lit the diyas together, enjoyed delicious Indian food, and danced joyfully.

It was a pleasure to see the children engaged in meaningful learning about Diwali, helping to broaden their understanding of different cultures and traditions.

Holi – A Joyful Festival of Colours

Holi, the vibrant spring festival of colours, is one of the most eagerly awaited celebrations at our centre.

Our whānau are always enthusiastic about dressing their tamariki in white T-shirts, ready for colourful fun. The children love sprinkling colours on their peers and teachers, while the team also looks forward to taking part in the playful celebration.

These shared moments of joy and laughter help strengthen our sense of unity as a team and a learning community.

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